Tuesday, 15 July 2014

Big Pharma's first anti-vaping ad(?)

Chris Snowden spotted this very interesting ad on the London tube on Saturday. Looks like Big Pharma is getting pretty desperate. Not very surprising though. NRT sales are plummeting as Dick Puddlecote reported already in January this year, and, as Dick writes, it doesn't look like 2014 is going to be a good year for Big Pharma's NRTs. They are looking at a predicted double digit decline in the market this year, so no wonder they are getting desperate.

"Don't vape. Quit for Good" - what does that even mean? It sure doesn't mean quitting nicotine, so maybe it's the PG or VG they want you to quit. Nah, can't be that either as they are both in the spray as well. Have a look at the list of what's in the spray here: http://goo.gl/UQL0Eb (Scroll down close to the bottom). Looks to me like they've taken some mint/menthol e-liquid, added some other scary chemicals, that I have no knowledge of, and put it in a spray can instead of a vaporizer. So it's the ritual of vaping/smoking that they want you to get rid of then?

To me this ad shows that Big Pharma is really starting to feel the impact of e-cigarettes on their NRT market, which is a good thing in my opinion. It's quite interesting to see that they don't really present any argument to why their product is better than vaping. They're only trying to say that switching to e-cigarettes is not really quitting. To be honest I'm not sure what effect this ad will have, I doubt it will make many vapers do another switch, but it might actually help raise awareness of vaping.

Photo by Christopher Snowdon

Chris Snowden spotted this very interesting ad on the London tube on Saturday. Looks like Big Pharma is getting pretty desperate. Not very surprising though. NRT sales are plummeting as Dick Puddlecote reported already in January this year, and, as Dick writes, it doesn't look like 2014 is going to be a good year for Big Pharma's NRTs. They are looking at a predicted double digit decline in the market this year, so no wonder they are getting desperate.

"Don't vape. Quit for Good" - what does that even mean? It sure doesn't mean quitting nicotine, so maybe it's the PG or VG they want you to quit. Nah, can't be that either as they are both in the spray as well. Have a look at the list of what's in the spray here: http://goo.gl/UQL0Eb (Scroll down close to the bottom). Looks to me like they've taken some mint/menthol e-liquid, added some other scary chemicals, that I have no knowledge of, and put it in a spray can instead of a vaporizer. So it's the ritual of vaping/smoking that they want you to get rid of then?

To me this ad shows that Big Pharma is really starting to feel the impact of e-cigarettes on their NRT market, which is a good thing in my opinion. It's quite interesting to see that they don't really present any argument to why their product is better than vaping. They're only trying to say that switching to e-cigarettes is not really quitting. To be honest I'm not sure what effect this ad will have, I doubt it will make many vapers do another switch, but it might actually help raise awareness of vaping.

14 comments
:

It could have exactly the opposite effect to what they think they'll achieve - they may inadvertently be giving vaping more publicity. A lot of people, when told not to do something, react by at least investigating the something. They must be really desperate, which is a good thought!

I submitted a complaint to the Advertising Standards Agency about this and got the following reply:

"Thank you for contacting the Advertising Standards Authority.

We assess the content of advertisements and whether they are likely to cause significant harm, mislead or provoke serious or widespread offence. Looking at the point you raise and the ad in question however, I’m afraid we will not be taking any further action under our Code.

The Nicorette QuickMist is a licensed product by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency). Only such licensed products can make smoking cessation claims. E-cigarettes, at this moment in time, are not licensed products and have no evidence of helping smokers to quit smoking. Whilst QuickMist may contain more products than e-cigarettes, it is up to each consumer to read the contents and decide if this is a product they wish to purchase. Due to this, we consider that the ad is unlikely to materially mislead, or cause offensive to, consumers and so no further action is to be taken on this occasion.

I realise this may not be the outcome you were hoping for but nevertheless thank you for taking the time and trouble to contact us with your views. If you would like further information about the ASA you can visit our website, www.asa.org.uk.

"E-cigarettes,,,, have no evidence of helping smokers to quit smoking" !? Really? Have they never read a forum? Quite apart from the (very) large numbers who have used e-cigarettes/ vaping to either a) Stop altogether, or b) Continue to vape, but 0% nicotine - even the remainder who now choose to vape to get nicotine have (mostly) STOPPED SMOKING (for those who just don't get it - Vaping is NOT smoking!) D'oh!

I have had some bad side effects using patches and as for squirting liquid in your mouth or up your nose or chewing on pencil eraser type gum not any more, I Vape because I enjoy doing it, I have had none of the side effects I got using "licensed products", I'm healthier after not smoking for over 2 years but still curb the nicotine addiction the tobacco company’s got me hooked on and yet they are still allowed to sell cigarette’s legally.